AMG shrinks everything but power in S63

PHOTOS BY PETER BLEAKNEY/FOR THE TORONTO STAR

While automakers worldwide scramble to meet ful-consumption and emission regulations, some large corporations continue to cater to the customer who looks for high performance.

Peter Bleakney

SPECIAL TO THE STAR

STUTTGART, GERMANY—To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of the V8 engine’s impending death are greatly exaggerated. At least so it would seem in Affalterbach, Germany, headquarters of Mercedes-Benz’s in-house performance arm otherwise known as AMG.

While automakers worldwide scramble to meet ever more stringent fuel consumption and emission regulations, there are small factions within large corporations that continue to cater to the well-heeled performance-minded customer.

Nonetheless, these skunkworks also have targets to meet, and as such, the denizens of speed at AMG have their eye on the future with a brand new direct-injection 5.5 L bi-turbo V8 — their second fully in-house developed engine.

This fresh bent-eight makes its debut in the 2011 S63 AMG sedan, replacing the 6.2 L naturally aspirated V8 that, as far as performance engines goes, is one rip-snortin’ unit and a seriously tough act to follow. A tad thirsty, though.

After spending a few hours in a 2011 S63 AMG (coming to Canada in October), it’s fair to say AMG has accomplished the Herculean task of increasing performance while significantly decreasing fuel consumption in this sizable and sybaritic executive sedan.

The 5.5 L bi-turbo V8 makes 544 hp (up 19 from the 6.2L), and torque increases by a substantial 125 lb.-ft. to 590. All of that twist is available from 2000 rpm — the previous engine’s torque peak arrived at a relatively lofty 5200 rpm. If this isn’t enough, the optional AMG Performance package turns up the turbo boost pressure (1.0 to 1.3 bar), delivering 571 hp and 664 lb.-ft. of torque. Ahem.

Most impressive is the claimed 25 per cent reduction in fuel usage and CO2 emissions over the outgoing S63 AMG. Along with the smaller displacement turbo engine with this latest generation of direct fuel injection that completely vapourizes fuel within the cylinder, the new S63’s eco-status benefits from standard start/stop function and the AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed transmission.

This transmission uses a multi-plate wet clutch that eliminates the inefficiencies of a standard torque converter while delivering smooth and immediate shifts. There are three transmission modes: Comfort (the car starts off in second gear, short shifts and the start/stop function is active), Sport, and a fully Manual mode where shifts are called up via the paddle shifters. Sexy rev-matching on downshifts too.

Drive like your Granny on the way to a church supper and the 2011 S63 AMG will return a sanctimonious 10.5 L/100 km (Euro cycle; 27 mpg). This driving style, I can attest, is somewhat hard to adopt in a car with such an appetite for the open road. Or in this case, the autobahns.

Our pace was more akin to Granny fleeing out the back door while the Big Bad Wolf banged on the front.

The prodigious torque had us up against the 250 km/h speed limiter in no time, flying through the German countryside in stable serenity. The tachometer showed a lazy 3500 rpm. Opt for the AMG Performance package (they really should call it the Who-The-Hell-Needs-This? Performance package) and your S63 will charge even harder up to a terminal velocity of 300 km/h.

AMG took great pains to give this new turbo motor a suitably resonant voice — not as visceral as the fab 6.2 L, but it still lets the world know of some serious goings-on underhood. During hard acceleration there is a satisfying bellow, and under normal motoring a distant rumble underscores the proceedings.

All very impressive, but has AMG sacrificed any of the S-class’s core values? I’d say no. Mercedes’s big executive sedan in AMG guise still offers the sublime level of comfort that makes the S-class, in my opinion, the best of this genre. In other words, they haven’t wrecked the ride quality.

Yes, the BMW 750i will go around corners better than this S63, but I really don’t think buyers of XL luxury expresses really give a hoot about such things. You have your Porsche 911 Turbos or AMG SLSs for that.

Adding to the civility of our ride was a newly available and quite spectacular 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen 5.1 surround sound system.

The S-class has always been the launching pad for pioneering safety technologies, and with this 2011 model, Mercedes has a couple of new tricks up its sleeve: Active Blind Spot Assist and Active Lane Keeping Assist.

Both these available systems expand on the current passive warning systems by altering the car’s trajectory via targeted braking inputs if the driver does not respond to the visual and audio alerts. In other words, the car will nudge itself back into the proper lane if you drift, or similarly, pull itself away from a potential collision with a vehicle in your blind spot. Driver inputs instantly override the system.

Canadian pricing for the 2011 S63 AMG will be announced close to its October launch. Expect a marginal increase over the current car’s $150,000 starting price.

So where does AMG go from here? Fritz Eichler, head of powertrain development at AMG is rightly proud of 5.5 L bi-turbo V8, but this is really just the first step of a steep climb. They have reached their 2012 target of a 30 per cent CO2 reduction in the AMG fleet over 2008 numbers, but another 20 per cent has to be shaved by 2015. I asked Fritz how they are going to accomplish this. “We’re not sure yet.” he answered, making little effort to hide his concern.

This new V8 will make it into other AMG products; cylinder de-activation is coming; and there will be some smaller hybrid vehicles wearing the AMG badge. What about the big turbo V12 engines? “Our customers want them, and as long as there is a business case, we will continue to make them.”

When you are saying your prayers tonight, sent a couple out to Fritz. He could use them.

Travel was provided freelance auto reviewer Peter Bleakney by the automaker.

pebleakney@sympatico.ca

2011 Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG

PRICE: est. $150,000+

ENGINE: 5461 cc biturbo direct-injection V8

FUEL CONSUMPTION: L/100km: 10.5 on EU cycle (27 mpg)

POWER/TORQUE: 544 and 571 hp; 590 and 664 lb.-ft.

COMPETITION: Maserati Quattroporte Sport GT S, Bentley Continental Flying Spur, Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG, Porsche Panamera Turbo

WHAT’S BEST: strong and turbine smooth V8, the quintessential autobahn express

WHAT’S WORST: we have no autobahns in Canada

WHAT’S INTERESTING: 25 per cent more fuel-efficient than outgoing S63